Lifetime / The Draft / Hostage Life: live in Torontolive in Toronto (2007)Decaydance

Reviewer Rating: 5

Contributed by: SloaneDaleySloaneDaley(others by this writer | submit your own)Published on April 24th 2007Are you trying to tell me you don't want to hear my main beef about the Kathedral? Well, here it is anyways: They only serve Guinness in a can (what kind of person does that?). So I had to get there early to go down the street a buy a few pints so I could taste the good stuff before the improperly t.

Are you trying to tell me you don't want to hear my main beef about the Kathedral? Well, here it is anyways: They only serve Guinness in a can (what kind of person does that?). So I had to get there early to go down the street a buy a few pints so I could taste the good stuff before the improperly tasting, canned disappointments to follow.

The show started rather early (around 6:30) and Hostage Life was the first band to play. They have become sort of the local go-to band for opening melodic punk shows with their nifty `77-inspired sound. By this time the Kathedral had filled nicely, at least a lot better than it usually does for most touring bands. The band rocked through their set, and they had a decent following with the crowd. Last time I saw them I recall Colin flipping off the crowd and being a little nasty. While being nasty is well and good (I like it nasty), seeing them slightly more upbeat was a treat with them all playing off of each other nicely. Since I first reviewed their debut full-length here it has grown on me a lot more, some highlights of the set including "Sons of Hostage Life" and "This Song Was Written by a Committee" off of that album.

In between the sets I was in the pisser and who should I run into but every young lad's wet dream: Dr. Dan Yemin! I've heard he was a super nice fellow and I must say he really was, chatting with a geeked-out fan about Toronto hardcore and Lifetime's latest release whilst in the company of urine-soaked floors.

After I regrouped with my companions I decided to move to the front of the stage for the Draft's set. I sadly had never seen Hot Water Music play live even though they were touring fiends so I was particularly stoked to see most of them perform. The band opened up with my personal favourite off of their debut, "New Eyes Open." The strange thing was the crowd response in general. Although there was a bunch of other voices rising with my own it was a rather small denomination of people, and often time my fist was in the air was by itselfâ?¦lonesome, lonesome fist. I could see in these guys why HWM was such a cherished band in a live setting. Chris was dripping with sweat as he belted out the tunes, Jason's basslines sounded better than ever as he used his stage space like a true showman, George was pounding the skins harder than a guy named Bubba with a cherry brown-eye staring at him in Kingston penitentiary and Todd sounded great live on the backups. Something did eventually get a more enthusiastic response from that crowd and that was the announcement they were unexpectedly going to play their Replacements cover of "Little Mascara." Gotta say it made me kinda hard, gotta say. The crowd was filling up even more and cheered and clapped graciously and the band thanked them for this because it was their first Canadian show. Since I've had some time with In a Million Pieces, it has really developed a special place for me. I think through their live show the Draft will continue to carve out such spaces in people's hearts, even those that are still wimpering about HWM. Personally, I was expecting them to be more drunk, but other than that expectations were met, although I would have liked to catch up with one of them to find out if that fabled Samiam split is ever goning to happen.

Lifetime? More like Live-time, amirite? Wow. Anyways, by the time Lifetime were setting up it was the most packed I had seen the venue without a ska band in sight. I'll admit right now I'm a fanboy and have been waiting years to see Lifetime but because of this fact I had a lot of expectations riding on this set. The band opened up with "Northbound Breakdown" from their self-titled album. With its contagious chorus it is as perfect a set opener as I could imagine. The crowd was all fists and shouting along from the first note. The next song they played was a crowd favourite and one of their best, "Turnpike Gates." This got the crowd into a frenzy of stage dives and broken bottles, and I was singing along to every word. I'm pretty sure at this point Ari got knocked to the ground and was singing on the floor and bounced back up. I've heard slanderous tales that Ari Katz is a boring frontman, but on this night, my friends, this couldn't have been further from the truth. The show-stealer had to be Dan though as he jumped around everywhere and sang into the crowd. The rest of the band was all smiles and charisma, coming up and engaging the throws of finger-pointers. The songs they played had a nice, even distribution throughout their last three full-lengths (I'm still absorbing the new one), the highlight to me being "(The Gym Is) Neutral Territory." The band closed their set with "Ostrichsized" as I think they often do, which is fitting because it is perhaps their best sing-along and a great way to leave the crowd wanting more. And more we did want as they returned to our eager chants to play "Cut the Tension" and "25 Cent Giraffes." I stumbled onto the stage to give hugs and farewells but the crowd still hadn't had enough so they returned to play one more song. I tend to fall all awkward and fast like a clump of semen when I try to jump so I didn't stage dive and instead just crouched down at the front of the stage with another lad. Ari asked the crowd what they wanted to hear; I asked him to play "Isae Aldy Beausoleil" and he gave me a funny look and laughed and shook his head. I was so dejected that he didn't want to play it I damn well forgot what they did end up playing, I think it was "Bringing It Backwards"(anyone who was there help me out?).

Sure, there would have been songs I would have rather heard than others ("Somewhere in the Swamps of Jersey," "Isae Aldy Beausoleil," "All Night Long" would have all hit the spot) but all in all it was one of the best shows I've been to. Sure, you could try saying Lifetime isn't important or that they suck and are only in it for the money. However, the room full of Canadian kids shouting along with me to the short, broken and beautiful songs from this little band from New Brunswick, New Jersey begs to differ.

The Draft's set list (not in order, might be missing a song or two):

New Eyes Open

Let It Go

Bordering

Wired

song from 7", I don't know which brah

Little Mascara [Replacements cover]

Not What I Wanna Do

Lo Zee Rose

Lifetime's set list (per album):

Hello Bastards

Rodeo Clown (4th song)

Daneurysm (7th song)

Irony Is for Suckers (11th song)

(The Gym Is) Neutral Territory (13th song)

Knives, Bats, New Tats (15th song)

Ostrichsized (17th song)

Jersey's Best Dancers

Turnpike Gates (2nd song)

The Boys No Good (3rd song)

The Verona Kings (5th song)

The Truth About Lars (8th song)

Young, Loud, and Scotty (10th song)

Cut the Tension [1st encore]

25 Cent Giraffes [1st encore]

Bringing It Backwards (?) [2nd encore]

Lifetime

Northbound Breakdown (1st song)

Just a Quiet Evening (6th song)

Haircuts & T-Shirts (9th song)

12th song I don't remember (either "Song for Mel," "Spiders in a Garden," or "Yeems Song")

saw the show at triplerock last night. disappointing turn out. thought there would be more kids. saves the day was playing first avenue, so at least i was able to get in. draft played at least 3 more songs than on this setlist, mostly from the digital ep. stop wasting my time was a standout. they played little mascara and it was great. sucks lifetime didn't play cut the tension, but all in all way better than i thought they would be. i think dan yemin broke his hand on northbound breakdown. he was bleeding all over. rad show. better than dragonforce. scotty rules

Didn't the Draft play "The Tide is Out"? I thought I remember them playing that for some reason..

I was rocking out to the Draft too.. I think I saw you too (from your APN.org avatar). If only I knew songs by Lifetime, I'd give this a ten, although I definitely downloaded Jersey's Best Dancers afterwards.

Against Me! May 15th, bitch!

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

I tend to write a number of my reviews drunk and proof read them sober for good measure. As for the similes, well I find there is too much of a lack of good cum and anus similes used in reviews on this site so I thought I'd share mine.

- APK

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

Dude, leave the similes out of the next review. Goddamn does it take a good review and make it sound stupid.

i'm guessing you were drunk when you wrote this, not that there's anything wrong with it...just read like a drunk guy rambling about a show

it's true, Guinness really is better in Ireland....last time i was there it was incredibly easy to drink about 8 pints in a sitting, pretty sure i've never done that in the US

of course the double shot of Jameson i took after those right before i had to leave the pub was probably not as good an idea, it really sucks having to go to the airport after 4 hours of sleep when you're still sloppy as fuck

You all have it wrong. The only way to enjoy Guinness is out of a fire marshal's boot. Trust me, it's like cold filtered.
-Dante

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

The Underground is an awesome little place, its not as big as the Katherdrial. Maybe 250-300? Can't wait for that show either (actually I'm going to four of the Souls shows this week, but who's counting?). Agreed about the 45 minute wait time, what was that for? Either way, these last few weeks have been some of the best in a long time for shows in Southern Ontario. Its a good time to be finishing up university and turning 25. -Alex (I need to create an account)

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

No Trigger/Daggermouth/Set Your Goals? how did I not know or forget this was coming? are they playing Kathedral?

oh, and can't wait for Souls/Strike/Loved Ones as well.. although Im going to Hamilton wednesday instead of Toronto friday because its my stupid friend's stupid birthday. Has anyone been to the underground in the hammer? I'm assuming its a small joint.

ALSO, only a couple weeks until No Trigger/Daggermouth/Set Your Goals.. just saw SYG a few weeks ago, but they're fun live... REALLY looking forward to no trigger

I've got a few scores to dish out here
5/5 - The Queenshead Pub just down the street from the Kathedral
0/5 - My friends and I showing up late and missing half of the Draft's set
4/5 - The bit of the Draft's set that I did see
0/5 - The 45 minute wait in between the Draft and Lifetime
5/5 Lifetime, who I'd forgiven for the ridiculous wait about 30 seconds into Northbound Breakdown. If only they'd played Anchor, that would be a 6 out of 5

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

Actually my real name isn't Alex, that was the name of Michael J Fox's character on Family Ties. In real life I'm known as Jon Jon but yes I shall be at the Souls show.

- APK

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

I was at this show, and I agree with Alex, it was a great show, other than the douch wearing the Pennywise shirt. I got one of the red Lifetime LP's for $15, which in Canada isn't really that bad. I'd like to email the jerk thats selling a red LP on Ebay for 70 bucks and tell him to get lost. Hey Alex, I asume you're going to the Souls show Friday? You seem to go to a lot of the same shows I do (this, Smoke Or Fire, etc) and my name's Alex as well. Crazy.

Guy below has got it right. Guinness goes down like water in Dublin. Its fantastic. I will be hitting a few of them before rise against, the bronx and cancer bats next week! Say what you will about each band but that is a hell of a lineup for one night!

Anonymous (April 24, 2007)

to be really pretentious, real guinness is only available in Dublin fresh and not shipped somewhere. I've also heard by some that guinness takes different in london than dublin, and so on.......i dunno.

I asked Dan why Dave wasn't playing, and he said that he has a 4-month-old baby at home, and that when the band did their short tour in February, Dave really wasn't down with being away from the kid for any extended periods of time, so they had Andy do this tour. He made it sound like Dave is welcome back whenever he wants to play.

Saw this show in Detroit (er, Mt. Clemens), and it was great. Lifetime played the exact same set, although our first encore was "Hey Katrine" and "25 Cent Giraffes," and our second encore was "Cut The Tension." Interestingly enough, "Bobby Truck Tricks" was written on the setlist in place of "Hey Katrine" -- super-stoked they didn't play it, as "HK" is definitely the better song.

Also, I'm having the same memory loss regarding "Song For Mel/Spiders In A Garden/Yeems Song For Nothing" because they were written as one long line on their setlist (I'm guessing it was the same in Toronto, too). I'm pretty sure they actually played "Yeems Song" out of the three, though.

The only bad part? Lifetime (and the Draft, too) were selling LPs for $15 and 7-inches for $5 -- totally ridiculous! When I asked Dan Yemin why the LPs cost so much, he looked me straight in the eye and said "Because Fueled By Ramen is the worst label in the world."

PS - Dave Palatais isn't playing this tour; Andy from Paint It Black is filling in, and he did a killer job.

Really good show, had a damn fun time. Except for when on two separate occasions people jumped on my back, they wrapped their legs around my stomach and arms around my neck! What the fuck is the deal with that? they just hung their while I tried to shake them off, how does this happen twice in one show?